A 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck the Kermanshah Province of Iran at 18:18 UTC on 12 November.

Almost 400 people have been killed and thousands more are reported to be injured.

Reports indicate that the town of Sarpol-e Zahab suffered most of the damage and estimates suggest that as many as 70,000 people may require aid.

This is a mountainous region of the country and rescue operations have been disrupted by landslides. Authorities have urged residents to stay away from buildings in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, as many buildings in the region were not constructed to withstand seismic activity of this scale.

7.3 is on the higher end of the Richter scale, and indicates an earthquake that can cause major damage. According to USGS, the earthquake was shallow at a depth of approximately 25 km.